Childish Start
by Strife Mullet
Summary: A grown, mature woman like her was acting like this? ZeroLayer


Yo-yo! Hey all, out there! I hope you're doing alright. You know, I was looking through all the stories around here and, to little surprise in retrospect, I wasn't able to find any real Zero/Layer stories of any kind! Even if it was only really one-sided. I figured I needed to fix that, so I got to work and whipped this up in about.. an hour? Maybe? Who knows, but it was real quick.

I gotta' say I'm not THAT happy with it, but I like it and I think it's cute. Besides, there's gotta' be someone out there who'll appreciate a little Zero/Layer fun. Even though it ain't my best, I still tried hard to make everyone IC and what not, and I gotta' say I had alotta' fun with the way I made Zero talk. Suits him in my eyes, though.

DISCLAIMER: All Megaman stuff ain't mine, it's property of Capcom. Unless since I've written this they've been pwned by a hostile take-over. What a laugh that'd be.

* * *

It wasn't the time to be slacking off like that. Files need to be handed in soon, and everyone was responsible for filling out their paperwork: Navigators like her were no exception.

And, really, it was so childish to be putting it off all day just so she could sit at her desk and daydream. More-so, to daydream about childish little fairy tales? There was no way that she would ever get swept up in her lover's arms, and rest her head against his chest (or chestplate.. robots and what have you). Hell, she was lucky if people like her could even_ have_ lovers! It wasn't a feeling of if she could feel the emotion. She was sure she could, and she often did now-a-days. But it was just the fact that people came and went so quickly, at least the people she knew. Dealing with Mavericks was tricky business for anyone involved. Of course there wasn't a way she could ever have time for that. It wouldn't be worth it, and would just lead to heartache and sadness. It was time to stop being so foolish!

Of course, beating herself up for it in the middle of the hall wasn't going to get her paperwork handed in, and she needed to hurry up and get back to her position in case of emergency.

At that point, as she broke free from her internal struggle and neared the end of the hall, her eye spotted someone turning the corner up ahead. It took but a second for her to realize who it was. Clad in his cerulean armor and smiling back at something in the hall he was exiting, she recognized her friend immediately. She raised a hand in greeting and called out to him. "Hello, X."

His smile slowly faded and he turned with a slightly agape mouth, staring dumbly at her for but a moment, before his face returned to that joyous expression from moments before. "Oh, hello Layer." His voice was as calmly paced as ever.

She took her normal long and smooth strides over, smiling in return. "What brings you down to this sector? It's mostly used for just information holding and stocking files and figures, you know that. Nothing that'd normally interest a Maverick Hunter enough to come down and see it first hand."

"We were just handling the paperwork that was due."

She nodded as she continued walking over. "That's not like you, X, to hand it in last minute, yo--" Wait, _we_? Who's..?

X's smile deepened as he answered. "Yeah, well it's not really mine. I was just walking with Zero as he made sure to hand his in. I worry that if I don't watch over him he'll forget or blow it off entirely." The last part was said with a laugh, but Layer wasn't paying too close attention..

_"Oh no.. Z-Z-Zero..?!"_

"Hey X, who ya' talkin' to?" To her credit, Layer had managed to keep from blushing at the mention of his name. Even just then, when she had just heard his voice, she had been fine. But now, as the Scarlet Knight stepped into view, her cheeks instantaneously matched his armor. Her hands rose slowly to the front of her face as she tilted her head down to shield the two from sight with her bangs. So much for stopping the childish act.

"Hmm?" His eyes drifted upward to the blushing female just a few paces ahead. She didn't notice: her hair was blocking her view. "Oh, hey Layer. Whatcha' up to?"

A severely startled Layer recoiled backward and jerked her head up as soon as he spoke. Her iris' shrank in a sort-of embarrassed/fear thing, and her voice was suddenly caught in her throat.

Again.

"U-Uhh, w-well, I.. I was.. on my way tooo.. handle my pap-_per_ work, Zero." His name was said in such a shrinking voice you'd think she felt threatened by him. Then again, she probably did.

"Hmm? I figured you would've been done with that long ago. Guess we got more in common than I had assumed, huh?"

"Common?.. Yea', I guess so, Zero."

During the moment of silence that followed her already quiet enough answer, Zero's smile never faded, not even when he raised his brow in questioning. X however, had a slightly more concerned look adorning his visage. But another short moment later, and he lowered his confused look and beamed back at her.

"Well," Zero said, breaking the silence. He wasn't smiling or questioning now, but the curved edge of his lips and the light-hearted tone in his voice told his emotion hadn't changed. "X and I will be getting back to the top. We need to be ready and all at a moment's notice."

"Yeah, it was nice to run into you, Layer."

After having little to no reaction to anything that had happened after she embarrassed herself with another failed attempt at conversation a good thirty seconds ago, she finally jerked backward again in realization. Before she could think, she spoke up. "Ah! Zero!"

He hadn't taken half a step after his farewell before she called to him. "Hm?"

"Ahhh.." Shit, she was in it now. Well, if she had dove in this far, she may as well go all the way. "..it's just, a few weeks ago, with the incident with Lumine.." Layer paused for reasons she didn't know. Zero and X both frowned slightly, and lowered their eyes. It was still a bit sensitive. "..When.. you told me what had happened to you, I.. felt.. terrible for you.. having to go through what you did.. both the Virus and.. well, Lumine.." X bowed his head in respect. Zero forced his gaze off to the side. "..But, when you told me y-you wanted me to be your Navigator.. I was.. happy again."

Slowly, very slowly, Zero opened his eyes. Holding an extremely neutral face, he moved himself forward a step and looked Layer in the eye. X raised his head as he heard his friend's foot clank, and watched him from behind. Just when Zero's mouth parted to speak, the hallways filled with a deep blood red, and an obnoxious siren made itself known to their ears.

Before Layer even knew what was going on, X had his knees bent and was all business. A voice sparked in from over the intercom just barely reaching over the noise. "Maverick Outbreak detected in City Sector A-102 and Forest Sector H-092. S Class Hunter assistance requested in the briefing room immediately."

Zero loosened his grip on the hilt of his saber (after he grabbed it by pure instinct) as Alia's voice clicked itself off. He wasn't surprised to hear it come back up only a moment later from X's communicator.

"X. Are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. How bad is it Alia?"

"It seems to just be a small breach in security, but with the Copy Chip incident, we can't be too sure. Regardless, I'd say it's nothing to be worried about by itself. Still, grab Zero or Axl and get up here as soon as you can."

"Roger. I have Zero with me. We'll head up now." And it clicked off. His head turned to Zero, who nodded his understanding. X did so in return, and he ran off down the hall. When Zero didn't follow, Layer found herself again confused and blushing. Left alone.. with.. Zero.. But, now wasn't the time to be thinking about that, dammit! She had to focus! There was danger out there and they were just standing around!!

"Hey! Layer!!" She snapped to reality at the muscle behind the voice. He'd called her once or twice already. When she responded, his voice calmed, and was even smug a bit (as usual). "I need to go help X deal with this."

Was that all? She couldn't speak, but simply nodded in acknowledgment. "But y'know, I could use a navigator. Ya'up for it?"

"_eek!_" squeaked Layer in surprise. So that wasn't all of it. He wanted her help? Again, all she could do was nod. Smiling at this, Zero looked her straight in the eyes and sent a shiver through her spine. What he was going to say before didn't matter. There was no need to speak through words. Nothing needed to be said right now. But as he was about to turn and follow in X's footsteps, the sound of dashing boots whistled in his ear.

"You better hurry up Zero or you're going to miss out on all the fun!" It took him by surprise. So much so, he nearly took a swing at him with his saber. Luckily he recognized Axl's voice as he blurred by him, but that didn't stop him from getting.. well, not angry, but.. himself.

"What?! Rookie.. I swear I'll.. this is my mission, Axl! X and I are handling this, so stay out of.. Hey! Get back here! Axl!"

Layer watched, still blushing, as the object of her affection ran off, chasing and calling out after the rambunctious reploid. He wanted her to help him? No, he needed a navigator, and it was the policy around here that everyone would get one. She was his navigator, and there was no possible other reason to his wanting her assistance. Something inside of her on the other hand told her she was wrong. She didn't know why, and it made no logical sense, but it just had an overpowering feeling of "correctness". That he wanted her specifically. And that it wasn't just a matter of company policy. But even if she was wrong, being Zero's personal navigator didn't sound like such a bad thing anyway, policy or no policy. Smiling sheepishly, she ran after them.

It was a start.

* * *

Well, there ya' have it. Nothing too impressive, 'eh? Still, I think it's okay for my first official foray into the Megaman Section. God knows I love the series enough that I should post at least a little somethin'.

Hope ya' enjoyed it. Have a good time until I seeya' again


End file.
